Born in Macoupin County, Illinois, to Robert and Elizabeth Ross on September 8, 1831, James M. Ross married Elizabeth A. Sanders on February 9, 1853. They continued to live in Macoupin County until the spring of 1865 when they moved to Johnson County, Nebraska. James homesteaded a farm near Vesta. James and Elizabeth had fourteen children, two dying in infancy. James M. Ross died at his home in Tecumseh on October 20, 1908. He is buried in Tecumseh Cemetery, Tecumseh, Nebraska.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The collection consists of one folder containing four letters. Three of the letters are written by James M. Ross to his father, Robert Ross. The letters were sent from Johnson County, Nebraska, to Robert Ross, who was living near Palmyra, Illinois. The fourth letter is a response sent from Robert Ross to James. The letters date from 1865 to 1868 and discuss such issues as breaking sod, crops raised, prices for crops sold, weather conditions, grasshoppers, family news, etc. Also included are typed transcriptions of the letters.